Lauretta has been in an orphanage since few days after her birth. She had suffered several nightmarish experiences from moving from one adoptive home to the other. She was tossed around and each home gave her painful scars to last a lifetime...inclu...
"Mr. Robertson, Mrs. Robertson. Welcome once again to Love Orphanage. Please come and meet your daughter." The director of the orphanage welcomed the middle aged white couples who had just adopted one of the children in the orphanage. After meeting her twice, the Robertson's fell in love with the beautiful Laura. Mr. Robertson picked up Laura's luggage bag after all the necessary paperwork was done.
"Hello darling. Let us go home now." Mrs. Robertson said beaming with joy and excitement. Laura got up from the chair she sat on in the office to leave.
"Now child be a good girl".
"I will Mma Dikobe." Laura replied softly and smiled revealing two missing upper tooth. After six years someone has finally decided she was worthy to be their child. She felt honoured. At first it felt like a dream. Other children at school and in the orphanage had bullied her and she had ever since felt worthless. It seemed so strange that this tall, slim white woman wanted to be her mama. She waved goodbye and left with her new family.
"Thank you God, I have a mama and papa", she prayed silently.
The journey from Lobatse to Gaborone was really interesting for Laura. She has never left the orphanage. The Robertson's lived in a huge white house in Gaborone. She was amazed and completely overwhelmed.
"Wow!" she exclaimed.
"Glad you like it. Come on! Let us go to your room darling." Mrs. Robertson said as they came out of the blue BMW car her husband drives. Laura was too happy to say anything else. Her young mind was still trying to take it all in. Her room's theme colour was pink and it reflected on everything; from the curtains to the bedspread.
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"Wow!" Laura cried in excitement.
"It's all yours." Mr. Robertson said with a smile. Laura could not believe her luck; she has a family of her own at last; a place to call home. She jumped on the bed and rolled around on it. She walked around, grabbed the big white teddy bear on a wooden rocking chair in the room and hugged it to herself.
"We did the right thing love. We have made this child so happy and that makes me feel fulfilled." Lucas said with a bright smile.
"Thank you Lucas for giving me a child I can now call my own."
Laura was the pride and joy of the Robertson couple. She was enrolled at a private school to begin Standard one. Two weeks after her arrival at the Robertson's household, visitors started dropping by. Friends heard about the adoption and wanted to see the new addition to the family.
"Are you ready?" Lucas said as he kissed Laura's forehead.
"Yes Dad." Laura replied with a toothy grin.
"I trust you my love so just be yourself." Faye Robertson added happily.
Waiting downstairs were three Caucasian women sipping juice form their slim glasses. They were all housewives with children of their own. The red-haired Dorcas is a chronic gossip while black haired Rachael is firm in her ways...their third friend is a newbie in the rich neighbourhood. A gentle brunette with sparkling eyes and friendly smile.
"Faye said it's a girl! I cannot wait to meet her." Dorcas said happily.
"She also mentioned she's six years old. She completely skipped the diaper experience!" Rachael added stiffly. Before they could speak any further, Faye joined them in her living room holding Laura's hand in hers.
"Ladies...meet my daughter Lauretta."
Dorcas' cup fell on the carpeted floor with a thud. The other two ladies rose to their feet.
"Faye...what is going on?" Rachael asked with a disgusted look on her face.
"She is a beautiful child Faye! Hello Lauretta." The third tall woman finally spoke.
"Thank you Portia." Faye replied with a bright smile while also throwing dirty looks at Dorcas and Rachael.
Laura was confused. Why were her mother's friends acting so strange? She smiled and greeted them. Unknown to her, she surely haven't found her place of rest.
Two months down the line, Laura had figured out she played only with Mrs. Portia's children and most of her parents' friends had stopped coming altogether. She did not fully understand what was happening but continued to live in her fairy tale life.
Laura's major problem started when Mr. Robertson's mother came to visit. It was a visit Laura will never forget.
"Faye. Mother is here." Mr. Robertson exclaimed joyfully. He had just arrived from the airport to pick his mother who was visiting from England. Old Mrs. Robertson was in her late sixties. She has short graying blonde hair. Her soft blue eyes were a big contrast to her hard and sometimes sour personality. She looked around at her son's house and smiled. He has done well for himself. She had just heard they had a child so she came to check on her.
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"Lucas. Where is Laura?" she asked as she sat down. Just then Faye came from the Kitchen with Laura.
"It is so good to see you again!" Faye exclaimed and kissed the old woman on both cheeks.
"This is our daughter, Lauretta. Lauretta, your grandmother."
Old Mrs. Robertson's look stopped Laura in her tracks.
"Lucas! What is this! You came here to adopt a child! Why did you lie to me!" she bellowed. Mrs. Robertson controlled all her four children's lives and this scene was a very common one.
"We love her mother. She is our pride and joy." Lucas replied
"Faye. When you married my son, you did not tell our family that you were barren."
"What is wrong with adopting a child?" Faye asked calmly
"Have you forgotten already that Lucas is the eldest and he must come back home and take over from his father? For him to do that he needs to have a heir of his own!" the old woman was unstoppable. Her son's marriage to Faye will be going down the drain if she got through to him.
"It's not a throne mother. Just business. She is our child." Lucas said defensively
"You are claiming someone else's responsibility! I will not allow it!"
Laura quietly left for her room with tears running down her face unnoticed and the argument continued.
"You know what? Say whatever you like. I am keeping Laura. I love her like she is my own. I am her mother and I will not abandon her!"
"Keep her Faye! Then you can prepare to sign your divorce papers." Old Mrs. Robertson said calmly.
"You think everything revolves around you. This is not your house. This is not your marriage." The old woman stood up and slapped her daughter in- law across the face. Faye rushed out up to her room.
"Get my bags! I am going back home to England! You know I never approved of that girl you call a wife! This is what happens when you marry outside your class!" Lucas felt defeated and tired. He knew his mother would win the battle in the end.
